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{This post is sponsored by Florida’s Natural.}
The Brunch Bruschetta Bar, also known as my favorite kind of meal…
This board contains so many of my favorite go-to breakfast options. This is what I would call the ultimate brunch spread. There is SO much here to love! I’m really not sure brunch can get much better.
You guys know I love creating a mean brunch spread, but I have never done anything like this. Typically, I always sway towards a sweeter brunch, but with this Brunch Bruschetta Bar there’s a good mix of both sweet and savory, so everyone can really customize their bruschetta to their liking.
Since there is so much to chat about with this fun brunch bar, let’s dive right in.
I think the start to any good bruschetta bar is to use a really, really good bread. I used a seeded whole grain loaf, but using a mix of breads, or your very favorite bread, would all be great. Once you have the bread, it’s time to start thinking about everything you want to go on it.
For me, this means both sweet and savory breakfast foods. I did scrambled and poached eggs, prosciutto, smoked salmon, crispy bacon, ricotta with honey, marinated mozzarella, Humboldt Fog goat cheese, homemade pesto, marinated cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomato muhammara, raspberry jam, plus tons of fruits, avocado, sautéed veggies and olives.
As you can see, I really loaded it all on, but in my opinion, that’s what makes an epic brunch spread…lots and lots of options!
I definitely went the summery route with this spread, but what I love about this recipe (…err this idea?) is that you can customize it to the seasons and foods that you love most.
Since it’s summer time, I used my favorite marinated cherry tomatoes, fresh berries, melons, sweet cherries, and zucchini blossoms. For the fall, I’d swap in apples, pomegranates and roasted pumpkin, in the winter, this spread could be filled with winter citrus, and in the spring, artichokes, asparagus and fresh strawberries.
No matter the season, I love serving my Brunch Bruschetta Bar with a pitcher full of not-from-concentrate Florida’s Natural® Brand Orange Juice. You can’t have brunch without a glass of OJ—it’s just a must! I like to serve my orange juice two ways: straight up in a cute juice glass, or with a splash of champagne for a fun mimosa!
OK, so that’s the base of my spread. I know it’s quite a lot, but like I said, you can customize this to your taste.
Here are a few of my personal favorite bruschetta topping combos…
…Humboldt Fog goat cheese + fresh cherries + honey + basil
…peanut butter + raspberry jam + banana + honey
…Humboldt Fog goat cheese + sautéed spinach and mushrooms + poached egg
…basil pesto + marinated tomatoes + mozzarella + poached eggs + avocado
…ricotta + honey + raspberry jam + fresh raspberries + basil
…basil pesto + avocado + scrambled eggs
…Sun-Dried Tomato Muhammara + mozzarella + basil pesto
…goat cheese + smoked salmon + basil pesto
The cheesy, fruity combos are my favorites. What are yours?
A few tips for success…
…prepare most of this Brunch Bruschetta Bar in advance. The Sun-Dried Tomato Muhammara, marinated tomatoes and pesto and raspberry jam can all be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge. The rest should be set out just before serving. Preparing the spreads in advance will make for a stress-free brunch!
…cook the eggs just before you are ready to serve.
…arrange the fruits, veggies, and spreads around the eggs, as they are the “heart” of the bar. I like to fill in almost all of the blank space to create a really pretty, over-the-top spread.
…squeeze a little lemon over the avocado to keep it from browning while it sits out. This works really well, but don’t set the avocado out too early! Even with the squeeze of lemon juice, it will still brown after a couple of hours.
…toast your bread in the oven or on the grill so you can prepare all of the bruschetta bases at once. I like to rub my bread with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Then either grill or bake the bread at 425 for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through.
I know it’s only Tuesday, but please tell me you guys are already planning this weekend’s brunch? It’s the second weekend of June, which means an outdoor brunch is sounding pretty perfect to me.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Bring on the weekend, the bruschetta, and all the OJ please!
{This post is sponsored by Florida’s Natural. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Half Baked Harvest cooking!! }
Hi! How do you keep eggs warm? I have recently discovered you and your books. Thank you so very much!
Hi there,
You could keep them on a warm skillet or just serve the eggs last:) I hope you love the brunch board! xx
Very nice recommendation for a brunch spread; I’ve been searching for just the right mix of elegance and rustic! Used this as the base for my daughter’s Blessingway ceremony and it was a hit. Nicely done!
Thank you Gigi! xTieghan
I loooove this! I’ve recently discovered the blog, bought the book, and I’m obsessed! Thanks for sharing.
I am so glad you have been loving my blog and book! Thank you!
At my church, we have “snacks” between services. This “snack” has grown over the years to a full blown brunch buffet! I recently saw your take on a brunch bar, and I knew when my turn came around again, I had to try this. I emptied my fridge of jams and spreads…..I did not make anything! Some favorites were—basil pesto and sun-dried tomato pesto and Trader Joe’s roasted red pepper spread with eggplant and garlic and also their Harissa. The only thing missing was some good wine!!
Something else I did was to separate a few options for a little kid’s bar with PB & J or honey, and Trader Joe’s cookie butter and some mini bagels.
Everyone loved this idea….(adults and kids). Thanks for sharing!!
That sounds like an awesome brunch & was really sweet of you to do for your church! Thank you!
I mean, I just cannot tell you how honestly this hit the spot for both my brain (in search of new breakfast recipes that are not crazy complex) and tummy (more, more, yum, and more please). I tried peanut butter, raspberry Bonne Maman preserves, local honey, banana on seeded spelt/wheat loaf, and it was beyond words amazing! The olive oil/sea salt was a total game changer and I’ll never toast bread without this prep ever again- usually really dry and tasteless as a base without it. You are the best sweet teeg!❤️I’ll be trying more toppings throughout the week!
So so happy you are loving this bruschetta bar! Thank you Gia!
This is such a good idea! I’ll try this next time I have a party. I love having friends over for snacks and drinks especially before our local block party nights! My friends would enjoy this so much. I might make an addition of smoked salmon and capers!
Yum yum!! Smoked salmon and capers sounds like an awesome addition! I hope you and your friends enjoy this Heidi!
This idea is really off the charts good! The bacon and egg is awesome!
Thanks Melissa!
I love the idea of this! Perfect when you have friends staying, everyone can get stuck in !
Agreed! Everyone can have something they love! Thank you Vicky!
Ahhhh!! I love this!! I am a self confessed brunch addict and also possibly the most indecisive person in the world so this is my kind of heaven!! The only extra i would need is coffee, lots of coffee…
I think this could be the perfect Christmas brunch, make it a little festive and you’ve got a winner!
Ooo yes. This would be great if made festive for Christmas! Oh and coffee is definitely a must for me as well lol. I hope you love this, thank you Rachael!